The Best Way to Heal a Broken Heart
by empurple
Summary: "You move on," the vice-captain of the thirteenth smiled warmly at him. And in that moment, it seemed, she knew much more than he ever did. ByakuyaxRenji, KyourakuxUkitake, GinxRangiku, UnohanaxKenpachi and OCxHisagi among others. Considering mpreg in the future. Byakuya's side to my other ByaRen fic, Only Exception.
1. Prologue

**A/N:**I have a lot of love for this pairing, actually. I hope you do too ^_^

* * *

Kuchiki Byakuya was a proud man.

Born of the Four Noble Families and succeeding his grandfather at quite a young age (well, younger than most heads, anyway), he forced himself to let go of his childish ways to live up to family expectations. Becoming the Captain of the Sixth Division, life was quite focused on work and duties of the Gotei 13 until he stumbled upon a sad town in the outskirts of Rukongai and was captivated by a pair of pale-blue eyes.

And so he took Hisana, married her and continuously loved her even though he fully knew that she married him for his wealth. He liked to think that she eventually learned to love him. However, due to their inability to produce heirs, and possibly stress over many matters, Hisana quietly passed away. Although extremely humbling, for Byakuya realized that not everything was within his control, the entire experience was – and still is – excruciatingly painful.

So it is quite right to say that Kuchiki Byakuya _**was **_a proud man.

After all the suffering and the pain he endured, many found his demeanor quite cold, but to those who knew him long, like Ukitake Jyoushirou and Kyouraku Shunsui, it was all but a mask. They saw his compassion when he took Hisana's sister as his own, and when he allowed a brash and brazen Abarai Renji to assist him as his vice-captain.

"Taichou!"

The doors slid open, even without Byakuya's permission, and his fiery-haired fukutaichou barged into his office. Byakuya released an exasperated sigh – this must be something Renji enjoyed doing.

"Arato-fukutaichou has advised me that the division is scheduled for an annual check-up this afternoon," Renji started, a bow following his statement.

"Understood," replied Byakuya, not even lifting a finger as he signed his paperwork, "Kindly send word to the rest of the division,"

"_Hai, Taichou,"_

And without another word, Renji left.

Byakuya set down his brush and let out a heavy sigh, silently closing his eyes. He wouldn't really admit it, but he learned to rely upon Abarai Renji so much, especially after the war against Aizen and the arrancar. He was quite unstable after that, and if it wasn't for Renji, he wouldn't have recovered as quickly as he did.

"You're thinking quite deeply, Byaku-nii,"

He felt familiar reiatsu come into the room through his window and a soft chuckle escaped his lips, "Doors have been invented, Arisa,"

A pair of lips lightly pecked him on the cheek, "You don't seem to be complaining,"

Byakuya's eyes opened, "I am not," he said to Ukitake's vice-captain, "Your company is pleasing,"

Arisa shrugged, "You say that about Renji too, but you allowed him to leave just now."

Gray eyes turned to her and she met them with her bright amber ones, "We've talked about this, Arisa,"

"Yes, but you're still so stubborn," Arisa made her way towards his desk and sat on it to face him, "I understand your fear – taichou went through that,"

Like a child does with his mother when he's done something wrong, Byakuya turned away, "But their love is pure,"

A hand a caressed his cheek as Arisa lightly motioned for him to look back at her, "What makes you think that yours isn't?"

"I'm shattered, Arisa," Byakuya heaved a heavy sigh, "I am not whole. How do you love someone wholly if you, yourself, are broken?"

"You move on," and the vice-captain of the thirteenth smiled warmly at him. And in that moment, although he surpassed her in years, it seemed that she knew much more than he ever did.

"Oh Arisa," Byakuya wouldn't let himself get caught doing it, but he wrapped his arms around the younger shinigami's waist, "Thank you," he whispered in her ear.

They pulled away, keeping a close proximity, knowledgeable of their brother-sister relationship and how it could easily be misunderstood by others.

"You're very-"

"Kuchiki-taichou, have you seen-?"

But the gray eyes of Hisagi Shuuhei widened as he opened the screen doors and his question got caught in his throat, seeing Arisa in Byakuya's arms. Of course he knew that they shared nothing more than a sibling bond, but he couldn't help the jealousy boiling within him, seeing them that close to each other.

Knowing what was running in the young fukutaichou's head, Byakuya raised an eyebrow at the girl before him and jerked his head towards Hisagi's direction.

In a quick step, Arisa had her arms locked around Hisagi, her head resting right under his chin. She emanated warmth, "Thanks for picking me up,"

And just like that, Hisagi's insecurities melted away, a light shade of pink staining his cheeks, much to Byakuya's amusement, "Uh… Yeah," the vice-captain nuzzled her hair, kissing the top of Arisa's head, "I wanted to have lunch with you,"

Arisa pulled away, smiling at him," Lunch sounds great,"

The two vice-captains turned to Byakuya, who gave them a nod of approval. Her grin widening, Arisa gave a short bow and said, "Thank you, Byaku-nii,"

"Yes," Hisagi bowed as well, "Many thanks, Kuchiki-taichou,"

Byakuya resisted the urge to roll his eyes, "Just take care of her, Hisagi,"

Naturally, Hisagi Shuuhei didn't need telling twice.

* * *

**A/N:** Many thanks if you choose to continue to read this :D


	2. Nothing of Worth is Ever Easy

**A/N:** I hope this gets longer if I get more inspiration~

* * *

Peace returned to Seireitei after the war against Aizen Sousuke. As it turns out, the Gotei 13 had allies in places they didn't expect and many of the former Captains who revealed themselves to Kurosaki Ichigo returned to their previous, although currently abandoned, posts. Among them were Hirako Shinji (who reclaimed his position from Aizen's division), and Muguruma Kensei (who returned to be Hisagi Shuuhei's captain), who accepted apologies left and right from the entirety of Seireitei and regained their honour and respect. Some, however, were not so lucky as to walk out unscathed and remained in intensive care courtesy of Unohana Retsu and the rest of her division.

"I'm _fine_, Retsu,"

It was Zaraki Kenpachi that Renji heard talking to Unohana so casually.

"That's what you say, but just stay-"

"Argh! Careful with that needle, woman!"

Renji sighed. He knew about how the destructive Kenpachi suddenly became tame in the presence of none other than Unohana Retsu. And, well, it wasn't like it was a very big secret anyway (the entire Seireitei even knows whenever they're making heated intercourse because several buildings suddenly collapse and explode around them – talk about unprotected). It didn't even take Kenpachi a long time to show her his intentions: they were of the same rank, after all. And it although it was mixing up love and work, in the military, you can never really avoid circumstances like it. And frankly, Renji actually wished it was that easy when it came to how he felt.

"Can I help you, Abarai-fukutaichou?" Isane Kotetsu's friendly smile greeted him as she came out of the room Unohana and Kenpachi were in.

"Ah, yes," Renji recalled his thoughts,"I wanted to tell you that I may be late for my division's annual check-up later,"

"… That could have been sent through a hell butterfly," Isane looked him in the eye, "What is it, really?"

_Is taichou all right?_

"Um…" he really couldn't say something like that, now, could he? It would sound meddlesome – but he _was_ genuinely worried about his Captain's well-being, "I… I'll talk to you about it later, maybe,"

"I'll recommend for you to visit the psychologist as well," Isane turned and left.

It took a while for Renji to register those words in his head. Finally, he realized that Isane's decision sounded final as she turned and walked into the infirmary. _Great, a shrink…_

Again, Renji sighed and headed out: it wasn't like he would say that he would be late for nothing. It had come to his attention that whenever he found himself lost and wondering about how to deal with Kuchiki Byakuya, he would visit the grave of his late wife, Hisana. Reaching his destination, however, he found that he was not alone in his ideas to visit and pay respect.

"Rukia?"

The amethyst-eyed girl looked up at him and smiled – and she truly resembled her sister greatly, "Here to ask her more questions, Renji?"

"Yeah," the crimson-haired man replied as he approached the grave, "I'm half-hoping that she answers this time,"

Rukia chuckled at him, "That would make things too easy, Renji. It doesn't work that way,"

"I know," Renji looked at her and chuckled, despite his heavy emotions, "If things were that easy, we won't be here right now,"

Rukia just looked at him and they fell silent.

"She's thankful, you know?" she finally said, making Renji turn to her but Rukia had turned to her sister's grave, "That you care about him this way… I mean, even to an extent that I cannot even love him as much as you do,"

"Rukia-"

"It's all right, Renji," she laughed lightly, "You should really be honest with yourself by now,"

Renji sighed and became quiet before he said, "But he won't really let me love him like the way he loves her,"

At that, Rukia's eyes narrowed dangerously before she punched Renji smack in the face.

"OW! What the hell-?!"

"You really are an _**idiot**_," she muttered, and with a burning passion she added, "Can't you see that you definitely love him more than anyone else can and ever will? What some people would _give_ for feelings like that?!" she rolled her eyes and turned, stomping away.

Renji gaped at her for a moment as her words registered in his brain. And when it did, he called out, "Rukia!"

The young shinigami looked back at him, her amethyst eyes gleaming.

"I'm sorry it didn't work out between us!" he gave her a shifty grin.

Rukia smirked, "It's okay, Renji," she stared, turning away.

"But break my brother's heart and I _**swear**_I'll freeze you to death."

* * *

"HAHAHA! OH! OH-HAHA!"

"Oh, shut up, Ikkaku,"

"WAHAHAHA! I can't believe it!"

"Honestly, Renji was lucky not to be frozen to death," Arisa, the new vice-captain of the thirteenth, tossed the red-haired fukutaichou an ice-bag as they sat in the infirmary of the Fourth Division with him.

Renji covered his black-eye with the pack miserably, "I probably deserved that, though,"

"Some women can be so much worse, believe me," Hisagi warned, looking at Arisa with a smirk, which she returned as she sat beside Renji.

"But she _punched _you!" Ikkaku continued to howl in laughter, "And you _**let**_ her!" He laughed and laughed until Unohana herself came into the room, silencing him with her ever-so-popular (albeit deadly) smile.

"I'm sorry, Ikkaku-san, but you are disturbing my other patients," she did not wait for a reply before she turned to Renji, "Since you are late, Abarai-fukutaichou, we will need the psychologist to see you before she checks out,"

Although he didn't like the sound of it, Renji sighed and nodded, "Understood,"

"Very well," Unohana started, "I would have to ask Hisagi-san and Ikkaku-san to please leave the infirmary,"

The two men got up from their seats to leave, but Hisagi approached Arisa, planting a kiss on her forehead, "I'll see you after duty,"

A blush formed in both their cheeks, "Okay," she whispered in reply, "Let's have supper," and with that, Hisagi left as well.

"Ano…" Renji coughed Unohana's attention, "But what of Arato-fukutaichou?"

"Oh, didn't you know?" Unohana's smiled as Renji turned to Arisa, horrified.

"She's the honorary Fourth Division Military Psychologist,"


End file.
